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The following is from the Southeast Missouri State University website:
“Catawba is an American
Vitis labrusca type grape that was discovered by the Catawba River in North Carolina. The 180-day growing season in southern Missouri allows Catawba to ripen fully and avoid the high acid levels encountered in other eastern grape growing areas.
The pink berries of Catawba are large and the clusters are medium in size. It has the "foxy" labrusca character. The vines are hardy and vigorous with susceptibility to several fungal diseases including blackrot and downy mildew. Catawba ripens late, a couple of weeks after Concord.
Catawba is a pink grape that is processed as a white wine grape. It is not fermented on the skins so rice hulls are recommended for use in processing due to its "slip skin" characteristic. It makes a medium bodied, fruity, labrusca wine that is best made in a sweeter style. The wine is pink to orange in color.”
Not knowing the growing conditions in Ohio, I would guess that the Catawba from Ohio would have a higher acid content. You will need to use your acid test kit and adjust the must as needed. A sweeter wine will balance with higher levels of acid.
If you make a sweeter wine, you will likely use potassium sorbate to preventfermentation from restarting. If sorbate is present during malolactic fermentation, it will be converted to hexanedienol, this has an unpleasant geranium smell. Either be sure that malolactic fermentation has completed before adding sorbate or keep the SO2 levels high enough to prevent malolactic fermentation.
For yeast, you may wish to consider Lalvin 71B-1122, because it metabolizes more malic acid during fermentation than most other yeast, it softens acidity perception. It produces rounder, smoother and more aromatic wines that tend to mature quickly. Another yeast to consider is Lalvin K1-1116, it expresses freshness of white varieties and aromas are retained for a longer time. You could make a batch with 71B and a batch with K1. During bulk aging, blend some of the 71B with the K1 and see if the blended characteristics from the yeast produce a better wine. Good Luck